Lately I’ve been spending my afternoons at Vesuvio in North Beach. It’s one of the most lovely, comfortable bars in SF. Unfortunately they put in a big screen TV which kind of ruins the atmosphere but they keep the sound off so it’s not as intrusive as it could be. Also, there are a number of places to sit where you can’t see the TV at all.
My favorite seat is upstairs in the corner. The booth with a plaque on it that says “Booth for Lady Psychiatrists”. This table is basically sitting on top of the TV so you can’t see it in the least. But the best thing about this seat, and the ones around it, is that you have a great view of Broadway. You look directly at the adult book store, the Hungry Eye, and The Roaring 20’s.
I always go there around 3 or 3:30. I get myself a glass of Jeremiah Weed (sweet tea flavored vodka) on ice with water and a slice of lemon. Then I go upstairs and settle down where I have a good view of Broadway.
Soon girls in carrying big duffel bags, wearing workout clothes and fancy hairdos start appearing. They’re the showgirls going to work. Watching them turn up for their shifts solidifies for me that my day of work is over. There is something so normal about these girls that it tempers the seedy edge of stripping for me. Once they’re at work I finally feel like I can go home and rest because they’ve got the night covered and I know they need no help from me.
On her way to finding answers to your questions, Babe sees and hears a lot. Loiterer tells some of these stories, but she’s just one loiterer in a city of thousands — send your overheards and pocket-sized anecdotes her way.
